1973 Green Bay Packers season

The 1973 Green Bay Packers season was their 55th season overall and their 53rd season in the National Football League. The defending division champions posted a 5–7–2 record under third-year head coach Dan Devine, earning them a third-place finish in the NFC Central division.

1973 Green Bay Packers season
Head coach	Dan Devine
Home field	Lambeau Field Milwaukee County Stadium
Results
Record	5–7–2
Division place	3rd NFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

Offseason

Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke retired during training camp in late August.[1] Bart Starr left as quarterbacks coach to other business interests, which included a network broadcasting position with CBS.

NFL draft

1973 Green Bay Packers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	21	Barry Smith	Wide Receiver	Florida State
3	74	Tom MacLeod	Linebacker	Minnesota
6	152	Tom Toner	Linebacker	Idaho State
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Roster

1973 Green Bay Packers final roster

	Quarterbacks 12 Jim Del Gaizo 16 Scott Hunter 11 Charlie Napper 17 Jerry Tagge Running backs 42 John Brockington 25 Les Goodman 32 Don Highsmith 30 Larry Krause 36 MacArthur Lane 24 Ron McBride 31 Perry Williams Wide receivers 46 Leland Glass 80 Barry Smith 22 Jon Staggers 85 Paul Staroba Tight ends 86 Mike Donohoe 81 Rich McGeorge		Offensive linemen 57 Ken Bowman C 71 Kent Branstetter T 68 Gale Gillingham G 77 Bill Hayhoe T 72 Dick Himes T 62 Bill Lueck G 54 Larry McCarren C 70 Lee Nystrom C 67 Malcolm Snider T 65 Keith Wortman Defensive linemen 74 Aaron Brown DE 78 Bob Brown DT 76 Mike McCoy DT 73 Carleton Oats DT 75 Dave Pureifory DE 87 Alden Roche DE 83 Clarence Williams DE		Linebackers 53 Fred Carr 50 Jim Carter 51 Larry Hefner 55 Noel Jenke 56 Tom MacLeod 59 Tom Toner Defensive backs 28 Willie Buchanon 48 Ken Ellis 21 Charlie Hall 39 Jim Hill 29 Al Matthews 45 Perry Smith 37 Ike Thomas Special teams 13 Chester Marcol K 20 Ron Widby P		Reserve lists Practice squad Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 17	New York Jets	W 23–7	1–0–0	Milwaukee County Stadium	47,124
2	September 23	Detroit Lions	T 13–13	1–0–1	Lambeau Field	55,495
3	September 30	at Minnesota Vikings	L 11–3	1–1–1	Metropolitan Stadium	48,176
4	October 7	at New York Giants	W 16–14	2–1–1	Yale Bowl	70,050
5	October 14	Kansas City Chiefs	T 10–10	2–1–2	Milwaukee County Stadium	46,583
6	October 21	at Los Angeles Rams	L 24–7	2–2–2	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	80,558
7	October 28	at Detroit Lions	L 34–0	2–3–2	Tiger Stadium	43,616
8	November 4	Chicago Bears	L 31–17	2–4–2	Lambeau Field	56,267
9	November 11	St. Louis Cardinals	W 25–21	3–4–2	Lambeau Field	52,922
10	November 18	at New England Patriots	L 33–24	3–5–2	Schaefer Stadium	60,525
11	November 26	at San Francisco 49ers	L 20–6	3–6–2	Candlestick Park	49,244
12	December 2	New Orleans Saints	W 30–10	4–6–2	Milwaukee County Stadium	46,092
13	December 8	Minnesota Vikings	L 31–7	4–7–2	Lambeau Field	53,830
14	December 16	at Chicago Bears	W 21–0	5–7–2	Soldier Field	29,157

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total Jets 0 0 0 7 7 • Packers 3 10 3 7 23 Date: September 17 Location: Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Game start: 8:00 p.m. Game weather: 54°F, wind 16 mph TV announcers (ABC): Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford & Don Meredith.

Scoring summary 1 GB Chester Marcol 9-yard field goal Packers 3–0 2 GB Rich McGeorge 19-yard pass from Scott Hunter (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 10–0 2 GB Chester Marcol 37-yard field goal Packers 13–0 3 GB Chester Marcol 10-yard field goal Packers 16–0 4 GB John Brockington 1-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 23–0 4 NYJ David Knight 17-yard pass from Al Woodall (Bobby Howfield kick) Packers 23–7

[2]

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total • Packers 7 0 6 3 16 Giants 7 0 0 7 14 Date: October 7 Location: Yale Bowl, New Haven, Connecticut Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 58°F, wind 5 mph

Scoring summary 1 NYG Don Herrmann 17-yard pass from Norm Snead (Pete Gogolak kick) Giants 7–0 1 GB Jon Staggers 20-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) Tie 7–7 3 GB Chester Marcol 20-yard field goal Packers 10–7 3 GB Chester Marcol 11-yard field goal Packers 13–7 4 NYG Bob Grim 10-yard pass from Norm Snead (Pete Gogolak kick) Giants 14–13 4 GB Chester Marcol 32-yard field goal Packers 16–14

[3]

Week 9

1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 7 0 0 14 21 • Packers 10 12 0 3 25 Date: November 11 Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 34°F, wind 12 mph

Scoring summary 1 GB John Brockington 1-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 7–0 1 GB Chester Marcol 12-yard field goal Packers 10–0 1 STL Donny Anderson 30-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick) Packers 10–7 2 GB Jerry Tagge 1-yard run (kick failed) Packers 16–7 2 GB Chester Marcol 32-yard field goal Packers 19–7 2 GB Chester Marcol 24-yard field goal Packers 22–7 4 STL Ahmad Rashād 23-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick) Packers 22–14 4 STL Terry Metcalf 2-yard run (Jim Bakken kick) Packers 22–21 4 GB Chester Marcol 9-yard field goal Packers 25–21

[4]

Week 12

1 2 3 4 Total Saints 0 3 7 0 10 • Packers 3 10 7 10 30 Date: December 2 Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 36°F, wind 12 mph

Scoring summary 1 GB Chester Marcol 14-yard field goal Packers 3–0 2 GB Al Matthews 58-yard interception return (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 10–0 2 GB Chester Marcol 39-yard field goal Packers 13–0 2 NO Bill McClard 22-yard field goal Packers 13–3 3 NO Jubilee Dunbar 29-yard pass from Archie Manning (Bill McClard kick) Packers 13–10 3 GB Jerry Tagge 41-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 20–10 4 GB Jim Carter 42-yard interception return (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 27–10 4 GB Chester Marcol 33-yard field goal Packers 30–10

[5]

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total • Packers 7 7 0 7 21 Bears 0 0 0 0 0 Date: December 16 Location: Soldier Field, Chicago Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 24°F, wind 13 mph

Scoring summary 1 GB Jon Staggers 20-yard pass from Jerry Tagge (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 7–0 2 GB Les Goodman 3-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 14–0 4 GB Jon Staggers 36-yard pass from Jerry Tagge (Chester Marcol kick) Packers 21–0

[6]

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings	12	2	0	.857	6–0	10–1	296	168	W2
Detroit Lions	6	7	1	.464	3–2–1	6–4–1	271	247	L1
Green Bay Packers	5	7	2	.429	1–4–1	4–6–1	202	259	W1
Chicago Bears	3	11	0	.214	1–5	1–9	195	334	L6

References

1. "'No hard feelings' says Ray Nitschke". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. August 29, 1973. p. 17.
2. Pro-Football-Reference.com
3. Pro-Football-Reference.com
4. Pro-Football-Reference.com
5. Pro-Football-Reference.com
6. Pro-Football-Reference.com

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